Pragmatic Decisions
by Dragon'sHost
Summary: When Erza asked, Lyon did what was necessary. They were both pragmatists, after all.
1. Chapter 1

**I know I'm horrible for starting a new multi-chaptered story. But... this needed to be continued. I have so much I want to explore in this AU. Because there's so much possibility here.**

 **Plus it's for a pairing that gets no love. It deserves love.**

 **This is also a blatant excuse to write Gildarts and Erza broship.  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail.**

* * *

Erza picked at the bandages on her shoulder with her fingertips, frustration mounting as the cloth refused to comply with her wishes. The pitch and sway of the ship was doing her no favors, either. Her nails weren't much to speak of, clipped short to hold her weapons properly, and her grip with them was tenuous at best. And then ship would crest a wave, and she'd lose even that tentative grip.

It throbbed.

She was loathe to ask for assistance from the others. They would help without question, she knew - but she did not wish to bother them with her inconvenience. After all, Wendy had just lost her entire family. The girl was still adjusting to the idea of a new start in Fairy Tail. And Erza didn't want Wendy to blame herself for not being able to help Erza in time. It wasn't her fault, and it wasn't a burden she should have to bear. It was Erza's own decision that led to her current predicament.

Lucy would be too nervous. Her hands had shaken the entire time she and Virgo wrapped the bandages in the first place, and the silent tears that had streamed down her face weren't something that Erza would forget any time soon.

Erza was not completely sure Natsu even knew how to change bandages in the first place. The boy tended to heal very fast from his own wounds.

And lastly - Gray was most definitely out. He had taken her decision as a personal affront and could not seem to bear to look her in the eyes. Ever since they'd boarded, he'd kept his distance. If he had glanced over at her at all, she hadn't seen it. It pained her deeply to see her first friend in Fairy Tail shun her so, but she chalked it up to just one more thing she never thought she'd lose on this mission, and subsequently had.

Jellal, Gray, and…

Her musings were interrupted by a quiet voice beside her. "May I assist you with that?"

Erza glanced up, into the icy eyes of Lyon Vastia. One half of the reason she was in her current predicament. She considered the offer for a moment. On principle, she was against soliciting outside help for such a trivial task, but if it were being _offered_ … "Yes," she answered, dropping her arm with some relief. "I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you."

Lyon shook his head, sitting down beside her. "It's no trouble; I must say that I bear some of the blame for this, so it's only fair that I contribute a little here."

"You only did what I asked you to," Erza stated bluntly, watching his deft fingers unwind the bandages with ease - the cloth unfurling at his touch. "There's no need for you to shoulder the blame."

He hummed as the bandages fell away at last, leaving only the gauze to be removed. "Gray would probably say otherwise."

Through clenched teeth, Erza hissed as Lyon pried the gauze free. Wasn't sea air supposed to be good for wounds? So far, she was having trouble believing the adage. It was as if she could feel each molecule of air assault the wound.

"Sorry," he stated, inspecting the revealed wound with a clinical eye. "For this… and for making things difficult between you and Gray." Lyon forestalled the argument rising in her throat with a shake of his head. "Let's wait until after I've finished to discuss my foster brother."

Then he frowned at the injury. "It looks clean, and Natsu did an excellent job with the cauterization but… I think the edges are inflamed. Hold still for a moment." Soft blue light emanated from his hand, and Erza shuddered at the cold brush of his fingers against her sensitive skin.

Pausing, Lyon muttered an apology.

"No, keep going," Erza urged him, embarrassed by her reaction. "It doesn't hurt at all."

The ice mage's fingers touched the wound again, the swelling fading under his touch. Once it was to his satisfaction, Lyon withdrew. "I would have Wendy inspect it later, but that should suffice for now."

Erza nodded, and passed him the new, clean bandages to begin the wrapping process. As he began to do so, with a hypnotic grace in his movements, Erza spoke. "As for Gray, I should be the one apologizing for worsening things between the two of you. And you had only just reconciled… I feel responsible."

Lyon snorted in genuine amusement. "Things have always been rocky at best between Gray and I. This doesn't really change that. I did save him from a bomb earlier, so we might be better off than before, actually." He fell silent for a minute. "I guess you'll want to know why he's really avoiding you," Lyon suddenly said, with a roll of his eyes and an exasperated sigh. "Since he probably won't tell you on his own, I shall do the honors."

"You don't have to," Erza informed him, watching the taut lines of his face carefully. "If it's too much, I won't ask it of you. Besides… it's something I should work out with Gray myself."

"It's not a bother." Lyon leveled a cold stare at the redhead, his eyes as sharp and piercing as icicles. "And Gray is an _idiot._ "

Somehow, the seriousness of his words had the opposite intended effect on Erza, causing her to let out a laugh. At Lyon's resulting affronted expression, it devolved into a full-out giggle session.

With a huff, Lyon finished with the bandaging while he waited for her mirth to subside.

She gestured for him to continue talking, once she had herself under control once again.

After a moment's hesitation, he did so. "Gray and I's master in Ice Make Magic, Ur… are you familiar with her?"

Erza nodded, somber now. "Yes. It's my understanding that she perished saving the lives of you and Gray."

"Indeed." Lyon's lips pressed together into a thin line, and his forehead creased in remembered pain. "That day… our master lost her leg in fighting against Deliora."

Understanding and horror rushed through Erza. "So that's why." No doubt this was unpleasant for him to talk about as well, she realized. Guilt caught in her chest, furthering the nausea already settling in from the ship's motion.

"It reminded him, probably." Then Lyon snorted. "Though honestly, I don't know why he's so hung up about it. He never actually _saw_ her lose the leg."

 _Like I did._

Though it was unsaid, Erza heard the words as clearly as the rest. Gently, she laid her hand on his arm. "Thank you, Lyon. For doing what I needed you to do. It was a lot to ask." It was odd, but... somehow, she'd known he would. He was, like her, a pragmatist. Poison spreading too fast to wait for Wendy, the second their eyes had met, he'd understood, and had done what was necessary. What was needed.

Even if it meant bringing his sword down upon a comrade.

He coughed, and awkwardly patted her hand - unsure of how else to respond to her gratitude. "It's fine." Then he glanced at her shoulder, at the stump he'd created. "Do you have any plans from here?"

Erza smiled. "There are options. Expensive ones, it must be said, though I believe I have more than enough funds to cover them. This won't stop me from being a mage, or being myself. It'll slow me down for a while, I'm sure. But it won't be my end."

Lyon returned her smile with a tentative one of his own. "I'm glad to hear that."


	2. Chapter 2

**Another one where I didn't even realize that it's been a year since I first posted it. Wow. Time flies.**

 **Will get to the broship with Gildarts soon, I promise.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail.**

* * *

With a great deal of awkwardness, Lyon had returned to where his guild mates were standing. The ship would be docking soon, and although he would have liked to help Titania further, he had the feeling that she would reject any more offers. Her team owned the duty of getting her home safely, not the man that had put her in this condition in the first place.

Thankfully, it didn't appear as if Erza herself blamed him. None of her words had rung with falseness, nor had she spoken platitudes to ease his conscience.

Gray's attitude, though… That was really starting to rub him the wrong way. He was being childish in the extreme. It was clear even to Lyon – who did not know Erza well by any means! – that the rejection stung. Really, it wasn't up to _Gray_ to throw a fit here. The only one who reserved the right was the woman that had just lost her arm.

Lyon's relationship with Gray had undoubtedly soured further, despite his reassurances to Erza. It would take time for Gray to come to his senses, and even longer to apologize. He knew that one from personal experience – both his own issues on the subject, and from their childhood training together.

The Trimens had not reacted well, either. Despite Erza's begging for Lyon to remove her arm, they had insisted that they try to recover Wendy first. But Lyon had had the sword, and Erza's confidence. Their glares had dogged him ever since the mission's end. Accusing. Cold as ice.

Just like Gray's.

A heavy hand rested on his shoulder, and Lyon broke his lingering gaze from the requip mage, looking up into the concerned eyes of his guild mate.

Jura smiled at him once he had Lyon's undivided attention. "I see you're still worried over Erza."

Mouth tightening, Lyon looked away.

With a light, rumbling chuckle, Jura continued, "I understand that you feel responsible for what happened. I can't say that I would feel any differently than you, had I been in your position. However." He paused for a moment, his smile softening when Lyon looked at him again, expectantly. "While it's good to be concerned about your friends' wellbeing, you shouldn't beat yourself up over it, either. It was a terrible choice, with no right answer. And for better or worse, it will have to be lived with. But I truly believe that the both of you will come out better people for it. Though it will be difficult, it will be nothing compared to the fortitude and resolve that you and Erza displayed in making that choice in the first place." Patting Lyon's shoulder twice, Jura then dropped his arm. "So please, have a little faith in yourself, and in her ability to get through this. After all…" Jura glanced over at Erza, currently being fussed over by Wendy. "Neither of you are alone in this."

Lyon nodded, slowly. "I will… I will keep that in mind."

Satisfied with Lyon's response, Jura nodded as well. "That's all I can ask for." He then left to join Sherry, checking in with her as well.

The ice mage mulled over Jura's words, turning them over and over again in his head. Jura's words of advice were objectively sound, just the right sort of thing to say to someone in Lyon's position. Yet something about them rang hollow all the same. Lyon was far from beating himself up over it, as Jura had so succinctly put. He was more afraid that he wasn't being _harsh enough_ on himself about it.

To be truthful, Lyon wasn't sure everything had quite sunken in, yet. He kept expecting it to, as if it were a weight held suspended over his head, waiting for gravity to send it crashing down into him. But it didn't. And the more time passed, the more Lyon was beginning to think that it wasn't going to anytime soon. If it ever did.

What'd he done just… was. No more, no less.

He kept an eye on her anyway.

* * *

Erza had meant every word that she'd said to Lyon. Yet the reality was that the solution was far more elusive than she had made it seem. It was easy to say that she had options, but she had no idea how to go about exercising said options. Making a living as a mage was dangerous, and as an S-Class mage, even more so. Serious and even permanent injury was an ever-present possibility, as was death.

She had just… never considered that it would happen to her. Dying in battle had always seemed the more likely option.

But now it had. With the pulsing pain as a constant reminder of her decision. In hindsight she should have asked Ichiya for more of his painkiller parfume, no matter how the short man made her skin crawl.

Maybe she should go to the hospital, or seek out Porlyusica? The woman had made her prosthetic eye, so she was at least familiar with prosthesis. Then, after brief consideration, she concluded that of the two, the hospital would probably be better equipped to deal with this sort of injury. And safer – Erza was so exhausted from battle and the pain that she wasn't sure she was up to facing the guild healer's crotchety brand of care. They would likely be able to get her fitted for a prosthetic, or at least point her in the right direction.

It was settled, then. As soon as they returned to Magnolia, she would visit the hospital.

…Okay, maybe not first thing. She still had to deliver her report to the Master, after all. Her arm could wait.

Wendy tiptoed over to her, her nervousness readily apparent in the trembling of her small limbs. "Um… Erza?" she meekly addressed the older mage. "How… how is your arm feeling?"

"As well as to be expected," Erza responded honestly.

"Does it… how bad does it hurt? Do you need healing? Or, if you like, I can come with you to see a doctor? I want to be able to help in any way I can. I mean… if I had been there, you wouldn't have had to… I mean…" The girl sniffed hard, her lip trembling and her eyes watering, but doing an admirable job of not dissolving into full-on tears.

Erza smiled at Wendy's earnestness. With her left arm, she reached out and lightly ruffled Wendy's hair. "It hurts, but the pain isn't as bad as the poison was. Thank you for your concern." She lifted her hand, and laughed quietly at Wendy as she raised her own hands to her mussed hair to assess the damage. "I don't think I need any more healing at the moment. But if you want to come with me to the hospital after the guild, then I don't see why not. I'm sure it'll be valuable learning experience."

"Thank you!" Wendy bowed deeply. A moment later, she straightened up. "Would it be alright if I sit with you until we get there?"

Erza gestured to the seat beside her. "Be my guest."

Once she was settled, Wendy gazed up at Erza with adoration and curiosity. "Can you tell me more about Fairy Tail?"

"Certainly. What would you like to know?"

As Wendy launched into a barrage of questions, Erza couldn't help but think that – despite all she had lost on this mission – she may have gained just as much. New friends, and…

Sparing a glance to Lyon, she caught his gaze and flashed him a reassuring smile, to which he nodded in return.

 _Someone she could count on in rough times._


End file.
